Kostecki edges Feeney in final Friday session

Series leader Brodie Kostecki has ended the first day at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on top, pacing Friday’s third and final practice session.

The championship leader (#99 Coca-Cola Camaro) went fastest with a 1:08.7125s in the 30-minute session, with title combatant Broc Feeney just 0.0003s second behind.

The top 13 cars went quicker than the previous best lap of the day, set by Feeney (#88 Red Bull Ampol Camaro), in the morning Practice 1.

Will Brown, sharing the #9 Coca-Cola Camaro with Jack Perkins, made it an Erebus Motorsport one-three result in a session headlined by a red flag and intra-team Tickford Racing clash.

Todd Hazelwood beached his #3 CoolDrive Mustang with seven minutes remaining, triggering the first and only red flag of the session.

Earlier, Garry Jacobson (#55 Castrol Mustang) hit the rear of Tickford teammate Zak Best’s #5 Snowy River Caravans Mustang, with the latter picking up cosmetic rear damage.

It was an all Chevrolet top eight all told, although the session was largely centred on pit procedures, rather than outright pace.

The Jack Le Brocq/Jayden Ojeda #34 Truck Assist Camaro was fourth ahead of the Shane van Gisbergen/Richie Stanaway #97 Red Bull Ampol Chevrolet.

Andre Heimgartner/Dale Wood (#8 R&J Batteries Camaro), Macauley Jones (#96 Pizza Hut Camaro) and Mark Winterbottom/Michael Caruso (#18 DEWALT Camaro) filled positions six through eight.

Cam Waters/James Moffat (#6 Monster Energy Mustang) and Chaz Mostert/Lee Holdsworth (#25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang) rounded out the top 10.

The third and final session of the day, held under sunny skies, was open to all drivers.

Kostecki, who has won four of the last five races this season, was straight on the money with a 1:08.9099s, before improving next time by with a 1:08.7125s.

Feeney joined Kostecki in the 1:08s barrier with a 1:08.9814s, before Le Brocq (1:08.9524s) and Brown (1:08.9390s) went quicker. Kostecki loomed to go even quicker, going purple in the first two sectors, only to pit at the end of the lap.

Teams used the session to do pit stop practice, with front brake pad changes and driver changes key to procedures.

There was drama for Best — who is co-driving James Courtney’s #5 Snowy River Mustang — was hit by Jacobson as he attempted to enter the tricky Sandown pit lane.

Feeney moved back to second with a 1:08.7128s before red flags flew for Hazelwood, who ran off and beached the #3 CoolDrive Mustang at Dandenong Road.

Saturday actions begins with Practice 4 from 10:45am AEST.